


Ring

by Jei_Stark



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-02
Updated: 2014-04-02
Packaged: 2018-01-17 22:19:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1404559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jei_Stark/pseuds/Jei_Stark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-IM3 ficlet. Tony left the ring box on Pepper's laptop and then hid in his workshop, much like a child who just left a 'do you like me, yes/no' note at a girl's desk. This fic is the consequence of his dorkiness. (Rated T for the F-word.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ring

"Tony."  
  
The constant clanging of a wrench under the hot rod told her he was listening. Not the clinking itself, mind, but the rhythm itself slowing, stuttering just slightly.  
  
She took a deep breath. Let it out slowly. Fine. He had his armor, she had hers.  
  
"Tony," she said again, this time with the hard edge of _you missed a meeting_ and not the warm notes of tonight’s date night.  
  
The clatter of the wrench slipping to the floor told her it worked.  
  
"Out." She softened the edge. Best not to scare him _too_ much when under a hunk of metal. And definitely not with this particular subject matter.  
  
He rolled out from under the car slowly, only his legs moving him, knees almost touching hers by the time his face finally appeared, his eyes focusing anywhere but on her. Typical. His voice was quiet, pretend-distracted, fingers drumming on his own chest — he removed the reactor, sure, but not the related habits. “Yeah, sorry, didn’t notice the time, did I miss dinner? Told Jarvis to remind me—”  
  
"SIR, IT IS ONE HOUR BEFORE YOUR SCHEDULED REMINDER," Jarvis piped in. "YOU DID NOT, IN FACT, MISS YOUR DINNER DATE. _THIS_ TIME.”  
  
Pepper’s lips pursed, her smile thin to hide the amusement. Not that she hid it well, of course, but it didn’t matter if he wasn’t actually looking. “It’s fine, Jarvis. Cancel the reminder.”  
  
"What? No," and Tony was standing in a heartbeat, and to his credit he only almost tripped once. "Okay what did I do, did I forget something? I forgot something didn’t I, just let me—"  
  
"Tony it’s _fine_ —”  
  
"—make it up to you I can totally—"  
  
"—you didn’t forget anything, it’s—"  
  
"—make up for whatever it is—"  
  
"Shh."  
  
Her hands cupped his face, and he stilled. She waited for his eyes to meet hers, her palms scratching against two day old stubble lightly covered in grease and sweat.  
  
"You’re fine," she breathed.  
  
"You sure?" he asked quietly. "Because I can make up for a future fuck-up just in case."  
  
The quirk at the corner of her mouth matched his. “I think this covers quite a few future fuck-ups.”  
  
His eyebrows quirked, but she pressed her fingers over his cheeks, and the weight of the ring registered. “Oh, so you found—” was all he could manage to get out before her lips covered his.


End file.
